George led them to the shore, to the place where they had left their boat. Mr Wooh gave a cry. “Where’s our boat? It was tied to that rock!”

“Is this it over this ridge?” called George, climbing up a steep bank that overhung the water, which was now quite deep with the surging tide.

The men went to look — and then George gave them the surprise of their lives! She ran at Mr Wooh and gave him such a push that he fell right over the high bank into the sea below, landing with a yell and a terrific splash.

George shouted a command to Timmy, who was now very excited, and the big dog did the same to the other man, leaping at him and pushing him over. He too shot over the ridge and fell into the sea with a splash. Timmy stood on the little cliff and barked madly, as excited as George.

“You’ll have to swim to the shore of the mainland if you want to escape!” yelled George. “The tide has taken away your boat — I set it loose! You’d better not get back on my island yet — Timmy’s on the watch for you — and he’ll fly at either of you if you try to set a foot on it again!”

Both men could swim, though not very well, and both were exceedingly angry and very frightened. They were sure they could never swim to the mainland — but how to get on the island to safety, they didn’t know. That great, fierce dog was there, barking as if he wanted to bite them into small bits. Their boat had been set loose, there was no way to escape. They swam round in circles, not knowing what to do!

“I’m going back to the mainland now!” yelled George, climbing into her boat. “I’ll send the police to rescue you in the morning. You can get on my island now — but you’re in for a VERY cold night! Goodbye!”And off went George in her boat, with Timmy standing at the back, watching to make sure those men didn’t swim after them. He gave George an admiring lick. She wasn’t afraid of ANYTHING! He’d rather belong to her than to anyone else in the world.

WOOF, WOOF, W-O-O-F!

Chapter Seventeen

And at last the mystery is solved!

George couldn’t help singing loudly as she rowed back to the shore in her boat. Timmy joined in with a bark now and again. He was glad that George was so happy. He stood in the prow of the boat, wishing it was not night-time, so that he could see clearly where he was going. The moon clouded over, and the sea looked endless in the dark. Very few lights showed on the mainland at that time of night — just one or two from houses where people were still up.

Wait, though — what was that bright light suddenly shining out from the mainland? Was it someone trying to pick out their boat? Timmy barked at the light, and George, who, of course, was rowing with her back to the shore, shipped her oars for a moment and looked round.